


Crash & Burn

by Pixie_Queen24 (FallenAngel69)



Series: A Bad Romance [3]
Category: American Idol RPF
Genre: Adultery, Cheating, Depression, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Infidelity, M/M, Suicide Attempt, domestic abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-20
Updated: 2020-02-19
Packaged: 2021-02-28 07:02:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,685
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22809823
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FallenAngel69/pseuds/Pixie_Queen24
Summary: Sequel to You'd Make an Angel Wanna Cheat
Relationships: David Archuleta/David Cook, David Archuleta/Original Male Character
Series: A Bad Romance [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1639756
Comments: 2
Kudos: 4





	1. Chapter 1

With a heavy sigh of frustration, Archie shoved his unconscious, snoring husband off of him and sat up, untangling their limbs. He was none too gentle as he rolled him over either. It didn't matter though; the older man was sleeping so soundly that he wouldn't have felt it anyway. Archie wondered how he managed to drink so much and still be able to—wasn’t that supposed to make it difficult?

He groaned and got up to slip his underwear back on and to fetch a pair of sweatpants. He wished that for once—if he had to be subjected to drunken sex with Jackson—he could at least get off first. As he padded, barefoot out of the bedroom, he grabbed his cell phone, making his way down the hall to the guest room where he'd slept several nights when Jackson passed out from exhaustion and too much alcohol. It was just better if he slept alone. That and he didn't have to put up with the horrible smell that seeped from Jackson's pores. It was bad enough when he was on top of him, giving him no choice in the matter.

He tossed his phone onto the bed and went on into the small bathroom to take a quick shower so he could rid himself of the disgusting feeling he felt almost every time they had sex. It hadn’t been like that before. Archie used to enjoy sex with his older, more experienced husband. That was before it was rough and one-sided; before he started coming to bed drunk and sometimes sadistic.

Archie had learned quite quickly that it was much worse if he tried to fight him off. As strong and well toned as he was, he was still no match for his husband who could bench press him without even breaking a sweat. The only thing he could do was become submissive and let his mind take him to another place. There had been times—like this night—when he would imagine he was with David, but that wasn’t always easy. David had never been rough with him nor had he ever said such nasty degrading things to him while he was...yeah.

When he was finished with his shower, he slipped into the clean sweat pants and walked back into the cool bedroom. As soon as he climbed into bed, he flipped his phone on and sent a quick text message. _"Thinking of you... Call me if you're still up_. _"_ He hadn't even had time to lay the phone down before it was vibrating; ringing with the sounds of INXS’ _Need You Tonight_. That had been David's doing. He thought it was funny and often referred to himself as Archie's booty call.

Archie didn't really like it when David said that, but he could understand why the other man felt that way. It wasn't like they'd spent a lot of time together without having sex since the night Archie went to him for just that reason.

"I have got to change my ringtone," Archie said as he answered his phone. "Hey Cook..."

"And just what is wrong with my ringtone?"

Archie rolled his eyes in the dimly lit room. "I wouldn't know."

"I could have set it to something far worse."

"Yeah, I guess you could have."

"So... what's up, Archie? Why are you thinking about me at two o'clock in the morning? Moreover, what are you thinking about me?"

"I just..." Archie wasn't about to tell him that he'd been in bed with his husband, clearly imagining it was him instead. "It's not unusual, you know; for me to think about you."

"Well, in that case, I was thinking about you too."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," David replied, his voice dropping an octave or two. "Want to know what I was thinking about you?"

Archie slouched down in the bed a little bit, knowing exactly where this phone conversation would be going. It was, in fact, what he'd hoped for when he sent the text message. "Hmm, what were you thinking about?"

"Mostly about what I want to do to you the next time I see you. You know, it's been almost two weeks. I might be going through withdrawal."

"Withdrawal? From me?" Archie teased. "Why would that be?"

"I don't know, Archuleta. Maybe because I crave your sexy little body more than I crave food."

"So," Archie ventured, wanting him to continue. "What are you planning to do to me?"

"Ooh, are you maybe going through withdrawal too?"

"Mmm, maybe just a little," he said with a hint of laughter in his voice.

"Do you miss my hands on you, Baby?"

Archie's body shivered involuntarily and his eyes closed as David's voice drifted over his senses. He knew it was on now. David's voice had dropped even lower and had taken on that huskiness that made him tingle all over. "MmmHmm..."

"And my mouth? I know you like the way I take my time tasting every inch of your delicious body. Don't you?"

Archie whimpered softly as David’s voice continued to entice him, reminding him in detail how he liked to worship his body; licking and kissing him until he begged for more. He brought his free hand up to touch his chest, just barely skimming his fingertips over his nipples which hardened at the touch. “Mmm, Cook…”

“Are you touching yourself, Baby?”

Archie whined and managed a choked yes as his hand moved further down, sliding over the flat plain of his stomach before it came to rest on the sizable tent in his sweatpants. “Mmm…” David groaned. “That’s so hot, Archie. Tell me where and how you’re touching yourself.”

“I’m uh just…” he felt his face flush as he told David what he was doing. They’d done this before, but it never failed to make Archie’s skin turn pink with a combination of embarrassment and arousal.

“Are you hard?”

Archie squeezed his erection through his pants and moaned. “Yeah. So hard.”

“Damn, Baby. I’d love to see your cock. I bet it’s all red and swollen.”

At David’s suggestion, Archie pushed the waistband of his sweats down to reveal the straining head of his penis. He curled his fingers around the thick shaft and rubbed his thumb through the precum pooling on the tip. “Mmph…” he whimpered into the phone as he closed his eyes imagining that it was David’s hand on him instead of his own.

David continued to talk, guiding him right to his peak and listened as he came undone, spilling hot seed over his hand and lower stomach. He sunk back into the pillows breathing heavily and gripping the phone by his ear tightly. “Oh my gosh,” he whispered.

“Goodnight, Archie,” David said on the other line.

“Wait don’t you need to…”

“I’m good, baby. Sweet dreams.”

“Night, Cook,” he said as he stifled a yawn.

*****

The next morning by the time he made it to the kitchen, Jackson had already left for work. Brooke was already starting to prepare a roast for dinner. “Good afternoon, sunshine!” She said with her usual perky smile.

“Hey, Brooke.”

“Rough night?” She asked, noticing the way he kind of sulked into the kitchen and plopped down on a chair. 

“You could say that,” he tapped his fingers on the counter top. “Brooke, can I have some coffee?”

She raised a curious eyebrow as she walked over to the cabinet where the mugs were kept. “You’re going to drink coffee?”

He wrinkled his nose. “I’m going to try it.”

She grinned and went about pouring him a cup. “Ok.”

“We’re having roast for dinner this evening?” He asked while Brooke grabbed the milk from the refrigerator and set it down next the mug in front of him.

She handed him the sugar bowl. “Yeah, Jackson didn’t tell you?”

“Tell me what?” 

“Dinner party tonight. Stephen and some others are coming over.”

Archie groaned, already not looking forward to it and wondering if there was a way for him to possibly get out of it. He put his hand on his forehead. “Brooke? Do I feel fevered to you?”

She laughed, knowing exactly what he meant. “You do look kind of flushed.” Then her expression turned somber. “Archie?”

“Hmm?”

Reaching out, she picked up his hand and pushed his sleeve a little further up his arm to examine the purple wrings around his wrist. However, Archie jerked his hand back and sent her an angry glare before she could get a really good look. “Archie, what’s going on?”

“Nothing,” he said, averting his eyes to the wall behind her.

“You know, this is not the first time I’ve noticed things like that.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

With a sigh, she crossed her arms and leaned on the countertop. “Archie, come on, sweetie. You know I’m your friend. You can talk to me.”

Archie tried to ignore her and grabbed the sugar bowl, scooping a couple of heaping spoonfuls into his cup of coffee.

“Does he hurt you?”

“Brooke…” He sighed fully prepared to give her some spiel on how they were into bondage or something like it. Anything was better than the truth. “It’s not… It’s not what you think.”

Just then, the kitchen door opened and they both looked up to see David walk into the room. It wasn’t unusual for him to show up occasionally to hang out with Archie after Jackson left for work. “Hey! Cade told me I’d find you in here.” He frowned noticing the looks on both of their faces. “Oh, am I interrupting?”

“Hey, David!” Brooke greeted as she stood back up. She’d met him a few months earlier, and really liked him. She thought he was good for Archie. He needed a friend of his own. “You’re not interrupting a thing. I’m just about to get Archie here some breakfast seeing as how he just got out of bed. Would you like some too?”

“Awe, no thanks, Brooke. I will have some coffee if you don’t mind, though.”

She smiled sweetly. “Sure thing.”

While she was getting the coffee, David slid onto the stool beside of Archie and nudged his shoulder with his own. “Hey…”

“Hey,” Archie said somewhat forlornly.

David studied him for a moment as he took a sip of his coffee, grimacing at the foreign taste. David finally looked away when Brooke set his own cup of coffee on the counter. “Thanks.” He picked up the cup to take a drink as Brooke walked away and headed into the pantry. Then he turned his attention back to Archie and in a lowered voice, he asked, “Are you ok?”

“Yeah. I’m fine.”

“You don’t look fine,” David prodded on. “I was hoping you might be a little more excited to see me.”

Archie sighed. “I’m sorry. I am glad to see you,” he explained while looking up at him and forcing a smile.

David laughed slightly. “Well you could have fooled me.”

Archie held up his hand and pushed his sleeve back as he whispered, “Brooke saw.”

David’s eyes grew wide and he reached out to take Archie’s hand in his. “Shit.” He rubbed his fingers gently over the bruises, his eyes wandering over the purple—fingerprints? “Well, you can’t hide them forever, Arch. People are bound to start finding out.”

“I don’t want them to,” he said, his voice low and frantic.

“Well, babe, you know what you need to do.” David raised his hand to run his fingers through his young lover’s hair. “We’ve talked about this.”

“I know,” Archie said, tears welling up in his eyes. “But I can’t. Jackson wouldn’t hear of it.” It was true. Archie knew that no matter what, Jackson would never let him leave. He’d said it countless times that Archie belonged to him and that he would never let him go. “Can you imagine what he would do to me if I tried to leave him?”

David closed his eyes, not wanting to invite the images of what Jackson might be capable of into his mind. “Archie, you can file a restraining order.”

“What good would that do?” He asked with a huff. “It’s just a piece of paper, Cook.” He looked away from David, embarrassed by his own weakness once again. “I want to leave him, but he’d kill me before he’d let me go.”

Of course, that was exactly what David would have liked to do to Jackson and very well might have if it hadn’t been for Archie’s incessant pleading for him not to do or say anything that might give Jackson a clue. “Hey,” David said softly while hooking his finger under Archie’s chin and forcing him to turn his head. “Look at me.”

Hesitantly, Archie looked at David with watery eyes. “I’m sorry.”

David shook his head. “Don’t apologize for something you have no control over,” he said in a gentle tone.

Before either of them really thought about it, their mouths were fused in a slow and tender kiss. David’s hand found its way to the back of Archie’s head, holding him there as he pushed his tongue past his lips making him whimper softly.

Archie scooted to the edge of his stool, resting one hand on David’s thigh as he leaned forward and the other on David’s cheek.

“Well, don’t mind me,” Brooke said, startling the two of them apart as she set two boxes of cereal and a bowl in front of them.

“Brooke!” Archie exclaimed with wide eyes darting back and forth between David and Brooke.


	2. Chapter 2

Behind the bar, David was in the middle of mixing a drink for a customer when he noticed a couple of familiar faces walk into the building. He glanced at the clock on the wall as he handed the drink over to the man he'd made it for. It was almost time for his break, so he figured he could talk Neal into letting him take it a few minutes early. Then he would find something to do in the stock room. He cornered him and asked him to cover the bar until he got back.

"Why? Is your boy-toy here?"

"Ok, first of all, he's not my boy-toy, and no he’s not here, but his husband is.” He even went so far as to point Jackson and Steven out to Neal. “Now cover for me until he leaves. I'll owe you."

"That's for damn sure." Neal said, giving him a look of uncertainty.

David thanked him and then disappeared through the storage room door. The last thing he needed was a confrontation with Jackson. He had tried to avoid the man at all costs ever since the night Archie had shown up at his door battered and broken. He was afraid of what he might do to him if they ever came face to face. He would not be responsible for his actions.

He peered through the door window, watching as Jackson led Steven to the bar where they both ordered drinks before disappearing into a corner booth. David's eyes narrowed when he realized what was going on and he wanted more than anything to choke the older man. Talk about being a hypocrite.

Finally, after about a half an hour, Neal entered the storage room to tell David that they'd gone. “So, that guy looks old enough to be boy-toy’s father.”

“Will you stop referring to him as my boy-toy?”

“Well, isn’t that what he is? I mean, clearly the relationship can go nowhere. He’s married, Dave. Married.”

David’s eyes narrowed as he looked at his co-worker and friend. “I am well aware of that, Neal.”

“Then what the fuck are you doing?”

David started to fire back, but the look on Neal’s face made him rethink it. “I don’t know, man,” David sighed heavily and leaned back against a shelf of whiskey.

“Dude, are you in love with him?” The fact that David turned his head away and avoided looking him in the eye gave him the answer. “Oh shit, Dave. You are.”

“I know… It’s messed up.”

“What are you going to do?”

David shrugged his shoulders and rubbed a hand over his face as he started to go back out to the bar that was currently unattended. “I haven’t a fucking clue.”

*****

“Good morning sunshine!” Brooke said in her normal chipper voice when Archie walked into the kitchen and once again slid tiredly into a chair. “Oh, you look like you need another dose of coffee.”

“Yeah. I feel like I could go back to bed and sleep for days,” he said. “But I have to meet Jackson at the club in a few hours.”

“Lunch with hubby! How nice.”

“Mmm…” Archie replied, not really agreeing with her, but not wanting it to sound otherwise.

“How is David?” She asked as she slid the mug of steaming, hot coffee in front of him.

“David?” Archie asked, looking at her in surprise. He hadn’t talked to Brooke since the incident where she’d caught them kissing. In fact, he’d avoided the kitchen for that reason. However, that morning he was too tired and didn’t even think about it. Brooke had been very cool about it, but Archie really hadn’t had a chance to explain. She didn’t give him a chance to. She’d gone about her business and headed out to her garden to pick fresh herbs or something of that nature.

“You know, sweetie, I understand.”

“You do?”

“David is good to you. I can tell that he really cares about you. It’s not unnatural for you to gravitate toward that.”

“But it’s not right, Brooke.”

“Neither is it right for Jackson to beat you,” she replied straightforwardly.

David felt his cheeks flushing and he felt so embarrassed. “You don’t understand, Brooke. He never laid a hurtful hand on me until I… until I gave him a reason to.”

“What could you have possibly done to deserve that?” She asked, pointing at yet another bruise on his collarbone that was exposed.

“I uh… he found out that I, well, you know; with someone else.”

“David?”

“Jackson doesn’t know that, Brooke. Please don’t…”

“Sweetie,” Brooke interrupted. “Jackson is not going to hear a thing from me.” The truth was she didn’t really care for the man especially after the way he treated Archie. “Just answer something for me.”

“What?”

“Why are you staying with Jackson? I mean, it’s obviously not where you want or need to be.”

“I can’t leave him.”

“Why not?”

Archie sighed. “I guess I should just tell you the whole story, huh?” 

“Well, if you want to, that would be fine.”

Archie spent the next few moments telling her everything. It actually felt like such a relief for him finally having things off his chest.

“I just feel so guilty,” he admitted. “If I hadn’t cheated on Jacks, we wouldn’t be in this situation.”

“What about David?” She asked. “Why are you continuing things with him if you’re not planning to leave Jackson?”

Archie set his cup down and sighed heavily. “We tried the just being friends thing.”

She lifted an eyebrow and tried to hide her smile. “Didn’t work out, huh?”

“No. I… Gosh, David is just so… he makes me feel like I’m important. Ya know?”

Brooke nodded. She’d noticed right off the chemistry between them and if she were being honest, she’d been a little suspicious before she caught them kissing.”

“Sometimes I feel terrible because I know I’m just using him. I even tried to tell him that I did not want that, but he said he doesn’t mind our… well whatever you call it. I think he’s crazy.”

“I think he loves you.”

“What?” Archie asked completely thrown by her accusation. “No! It’s just comfort and sex with us. Nothing more.”

“Uh huh.”

“Ok…” Archie sighed. “I think this conversation is over. Thank you for the coffee.”

“Archie…” she said softly as he stood upright.

“What?”

“Do _you_ love _him_?”

“I have a husband.”

“That you’re actively cheating on with David.”

“I can’t love David,” Archie stated adamantly even though he knew Brooke had a valid point. “He’s there for me and I appreciate him and I care deeply, but I belong to someone else.”

“Are you even listening to yourself, Archie? Do you have any idea how stupid that sounded?”

“I didn’t ask for your advice, Brooke.”

She sighed, realizing that she’d hit a nerve. Archie wasn’t one to be defensive or mean unless provoked. “No, but as your friend, I’m giving it anyway.”

Archie shook his head as he began walking towards the door. “I need to go.”

“If you care at all for him, you won’t hurt him.”

*****

By the time Archie made it upstairs to his room, he was nearly overwhelmed with sobs. Brooke was right. He was completely insane to think that his relationship with David could go on and not have some sort of consequence.

He collapsed on the bed that their maid had obviously just changed. He buried his face in the pillow and cried. How had his life became such a mess? He was beginning to think that the situation he was currently in might be worse than the one he’d been in before meeting Jackson.

While he was lying there, the phone in his pocket began to vibrate and ring. He knew by the ringtone that it was David. He’d finally changed it from the INXS booty call song to something a little less conspicuous. Pulling the phone from his pocket as he rolled over, he looked at the screen; lit up with a picture that he’d taken himself.

More tears rolled over his cheeks as he stared at the beautiful face smiling brightly back at him. “Why do you have to be so perfect?” He asked aloud in the otherwise empty room. It just wasn’t fair. He’d walked into a bar filled with tons of people that night and David had to be the one he found.

He watched as the screen changed, signaling that the call had been missed and then tossed the phone to the side. He wasn’t in the mood to talk to anyone. Especially David.

*****

A few hours later he was still cooped up in the bedroom drifting in and out of restless sleep. His phone ringing again awakened him. Only this time the ringtone was that of his husband’s. He looked up at the clock on the nightstand and grimaced before answering the phone “Hello?”

“Honey?” Jackson’s smooth voice sounded in his ear. “Everything ok? Where are you, baby?”

“I’m sorry, Jacks. I’m not feeling well so I lied down for a bit and must have fallen asleep.”

“Oh. That’s ok, baby. I just got worried about you since you didn’t show for lunch.”

Archie rolled his eyes at Jackson’s tone and choice of words. He was sure he was surrounded by his uppity-ups at the club or else he wouldn’t be so kind or concerned.

“I’ll let you go then. Rest up and feel better. Call me if you need anything.”

“Yeah. Ok. Bye.”

“Love you too, honey.”

As he was ending the call, Archie noticed that he had a voicemail. He hesitated on tapping the play button when he saw David’s name, and with a sigh he hit delete instead.

*****

It was around three o’clock in the morning when Archie awakened to the sound of several bangs and crashes. He stumbled out of bed, feeling stiff and sore from staying in bed most of the day. He’d left the bedroom door open after all the staff left for the night so the noise he heard was coming from down stairs. He cautiously mad his way down the hallway to the top of the stairs. Once there, he looked down and saw Jackson staggering around in the foyer. “Jacks?”

His husband paused and looked up the stairway. “Archie…” he said with a snicker. “Come down here.”

“Are you drunk again?”

“Just get the fuck down here.”

“Jacks, I’m too tired to deal with you right now,” Archie said as he turned around and padded back to their bedroom.

That probably wasn’t the best thing to say in that moment. Before Archie even made it back to the bed, Jackson was up there, staring down at him with hateful eyes. “Jackson?” Archie’s voice quivered. Of all the times that he’d experienced drunk and abusive Jackson, he had never seen that look before.

“How dare you!” Jackson spat, as he grabbed Archie roughly by the arm. “Do you know how embarrassing it was for me to be stood up by my own husband today?”

“I didn’t mean to miss lunch… ow! Jackson, that hurts!” He exclaimed when Jackson’s hand twisted hard around his bicep.

“You weren’t sick were you?”

“Yes,” Archie told him as tears began to pour from his eyes. “I didn’t sleep well and…” Well, he didn’t really have to tell Jackson why he didn’t sleep well. The older man was well aware of what had gone on the night before.

“I bet you were with him, weren’t you?”

“What? I was here, Jacks. I swear. You can ask Brooke… or Cade. I never left the house.”

“You know what I think?”

Archie didn’t bother answering him. He knew that Jackson would tell him anyway.

“I think that you’re fucking him again. And this time? This time I know who he is.”

Archie’s stomach dropped at that last part, but he managed to hide his surprise. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Jackson.”

“Oh don’t you? I visited your boyfriend’s work place the other night. A graphic designer, huh? Hell, he’s nothing but a lowly bartender.”

“You’re wrong,” Archie told him in a determined tone.

“What the fuck did I tell you about lying to me?”

Archie fell to his knees in pain as Jackson’s grip tightened even more and he twisted Archie’s arm. “I’m sorry,” Archie sobbed helplessly. “I’m… oh God, please stop.”

Then to his surprise Jackson let go of his arm and his touch was almost gentle as his hand came to rest on Archie’s cheek. “There you go again.” The younger man winced when Jackson’s other hand fisted in his hair and yanked forcefully. “Why can’t you just tell me the truth for once? You’re going to pay for this, Archie.” Jackson was seething by this point. “I invited him into our home. How fucking humiliating do you think this is for me? Do you have any idea how this could affect my reputation? I can’t risk people knowing that I can’t keep my slutty husband in line.”

“Please, Jacks…I…”

“Shut up! I’m tired of your lies! What is it going to take to make you understand that you are mine?” Jackson’s voice rose louder and Archie’s tears fell faster. “Am I going to have to teach him a lesson too?” 

Archie gasped and his eyes shot up finally looking at Jackson’s face. “No. Please, Jackson, leave him alone.”

“He needs to know that it’s not ok to touch someone else’s property.”

“I’m not a piece of property!” Archie screamed at Jackson and tried his best to pull away.

“The hell you aren’t! You’re my property! Mine! He grabbed Archie’s left hand and pointed to the gold band surrounding his ring finger. “You became mine the day I put this on your hand!”

“Well maybe you should have treated me better!” Archie’s bravery was equally as shocking to himself and to Jackson. Of course, it only added to Jackson’s rage.

“Why you ungrateful little whore! Where do you think you would be without me?”

“I’m not a…” Archie wailed in pain as Jackson jerked hard on his hair.

“Shut the fuck up or I’m going to shut you up!”

Archie saw him reach for the button on his pants and he trembled, knowing exactly how he planned to shut him up.

After a few seconds of neither of them speaking, Jackson’s grip on Archie’s hair loosened. “That’s better. Now… what should I do to him?” Jackson asked, watching thoughtfully as huge tears rolled down Archie’s cheeks. He knew he was getting through to Archie because the fear on his face was far worse than he’d ever seen before, and frankly that angered Jackson even more. “What would you do to keep me away from him?”

Sniffling, Archie looked up at his husband who used to be so kind and loving towards him and whispered, “Anything. I’ll do anything you want.”

*****

David rolled over in his bed, squinting at the digital alarm clock that read 7:14 A.M. before reaching for his phone that was blaring away on the nightstand. “Hey, Arch. It’s about time you stopped ignoring me,” he said in lieu of a proper answer.

“David?”

David sat up, suddenly fully awake. “Brooke?”

“David, Archie’s had an accident. I think you need to come.”


	3. Chapter 3

When David arrived at the local hospital, he went to the receptionist first. Of course, she was of very little help. Unless he was immediate family, she couldn’t give him any information other than a room number. “Thank you,” he muttered as he walked away in search of the room that she’d directed him to.

His heart pounded in his chest as he traveled down the long corridors of County. Brooke hadn’t given him too much information over the phone other than where they were and that he was going to be ok. 

“David!” He heard his name as he walked past a service corridor near the ward’s waiting room.

“Brooke! Hey! What happened?” The look on her face was grim and David felt his heart sinking. “Brooke?”

Sighing, she handed him a cup of coffee that she’d just got from the machine and turned to get her another one. “I honestly don’t know what happened, David. When I got there this morning, there was an ambulance in the driveway. I asked Jackson, but all he told me was that Archie fell down the stairs.”

“Fell?” David asked his voice filled with doubt.

“I know. I don’t think that’s what really happened either.”

“How badly is he hurt?”

“It’s mostly a bunch of bruises and a couple of broken ribs. Apparently he hit his head because his memory was a little foggy when we first got here.”

“What is he saying happened?”

“I don’t know what he’s saying. He won’t talk to me,” she said mournfully. “He thinks I told Jackson about you and him.”

“What?” David’s eyes grew wide with the knowledge that Jackson somehow knew about his relationship with Archie. However, he knew that it wasn’t because Brooke had spilled the beans, that thought would have never crossed his mind.

She sobbed and plopped down into a nearby chair. “I didn’t, David. I swear I didn’t say a word. I wouldn’t.”

“I know,” He soothed as he sat down beside of her and threw an arm around her shoulders. “I’ll talk to Archie. I’m sure he doesn’t really think that you told Jackson.” He took a moment to glance around. “Where is that son of a bitch anyway?”

“He went home already. He said he was up all night working on something or other and needed to sleep a little bit before a meeting at noon.” She leaned forward resting her arms on her knees. “I called you as soon as he left. I thought you should know. Um, there was a police officer speaking with him when I left. I don’t think the doctors think it was an accident either.”

Just then, the officer who she’d just mentioned walked out of a room down the hall and approached them. “Mrs. White?”

“Yes?” She asked looking up at the man in uniform before both she and David stood.

“It’s my understanding that I’m to talk to you regarding Mr. Archuleta since his next of kin isn’t here.” He looked at David for a moment before continuing in a low whisper. “The reason that I am here is because the doctors saw possible signs of aggressive sexual intercourse as well as other classic signs of abuse. He’s maintaining that he must have fallen down the stairs; said he doesn’t remember exactly what happened. Unless he claims rape or presses charges, we can’t investigate further.” He looked from Brooke’s forlorn face to David’s infuriated one. “Do either of you have reason to believe that this was abuse?”

“Let’s just say this isn’t the first time Jackson has left his mark,” David spat bitterly. “Unfortunately, Archie will never admit to it.”

“Most victims of spousal abuse won’t. Perhaps you could talk to him and maybe he’ll change his mind. If that were to happen,” the officer said as he scribbled hastily on a piece of paper. “Here is my number.”

Brooke took the piece of paper while David turned and walked away. He headed on down the hall to the room where Archie was. “Thank you officer. I’ll call you if anything changes.”

*****

When David walked into his room, Archie was sitting up in the bed staring blankly at the wall. He didn’t even look up until David was right beside of his bed and had spoken his name a couple of times.

“What are you doing here? You should be sleeping right now.”

“Brooke called me. I had to come make sure you were ok,” David explained, reaching out to run a gentle hand over the side of Archie’s bruise and swollen face. His anger suddenly replaced with remorse and sympathy.

“I’m fine,” Archie said snappily which prompted David to raise a curious brow and drop his hand.

“What happened, Baby?” He asked in a gentle voice as he took a seat in the chair next to Archie’s bed.

“I slipped.”

“Do you really expect me to believe that you fell down the stairs?”

“You shouldn’t be here, David.”

“Archie…” David said, not missing that he’d called him by his first name. He could count on his fingers the number of times that had happened since they’d met.

“I mean it. Jackson knows that it’s you.” 

“Jackson is not here right now.”

“He’s not?”

David could sense Archie relief. “No. It’s just me and Brooke.” David also noticed the look on Archie’s face when he said the woman’s name. “Archie, I don’t think Brook is the one responsible for Jackson finding out about us.”

“She’s the only one who knew. She knows everything.” 

David reached over and picked up Archie’s hand that was taped up and stuck with an IV needle. Gently and careful not to hurt him, he laced their fingers together. “She’s really upset right now…”

Archie looked away, unwilling to readily accept that Brooke was innocent even though he knew in his heart that she was a good friend and wouldn’t betray him like that. Especially if she thought it would put him in danger. However, he had no other explanation.

“The officer that was in here earlier; he mentioned the possibility of…”

“What? Sex? Of course there was!” Archie snapped, his cheeks flushing a little more. “We’d,” he sniffled remember Jackson’s threat. “Before I fell. God, Cook! He’s my husband! Do you think we don’t have sex anymore? Why doesn’t anyone believe that I fell down the dang stairs?”

David remained silent, swallowing the sudden lump in his throat and blinking back his own tears. He wasn’t naïve enough to think that they didn’t sleep together; in fact, he saw time after time the markings on various parts of Archie’s body to prove it. Nor was he used to this side of Archie and it hurt that he was practically yelling at him. It made him feel even worse about the whole situation that he’d kind of started blaming himself for to begin with.

Archie sniffled, trying not to let his emotions show anymore. “This is so embarrassing.” He finally looked at David his resolve weakening when he saw the look on David’s face. “Oh gosh! Cook, I’m sorry.”

David shook his head dismissing Archie’s apology. “It’s ok.”

Wiping his eyes, Archie argued. “No. It’s not. I shouldn’t be so nasty to you. This is not your fault.”

“Sure it’s not,” David said with a huffy snort. “If I hadn’t been such an idiot that night at the bar, you wouldn’t be here right now.”

“You don’t know that.”

“He beats on you because you cheated on him, Archie,” David insisted, his tone low but determined. “You did that with me, so yes, I would say it’s my fault.”

“I knew what I was doing, Cook. I’ve known all along.” Archie squeezed on David’s hand. “At least let me share the blame.”

A heavy sigh slipped through David’s lips as he leaned forward and pressed his forehead to Archie’s hand that was still laced with his. “Baby,” he said in a softer tone. “Please tell me what happened.”

“Why does it matter, Cook? There is nothing to be done about it.”

“Archie, he put you in the hospital. Don’t you think it’s time to get away from him?”

“I can’t,” Archie said solemnly.

“You can. He can’t keep you from leaving, Arch. He doesn’t own you.”

“Cook…”

“Why are you protecting him?”

“I don’t have a choice.”

“Yes, you do!” David sat up once more, but Archie wouldn’t let go of his hand. “Damn it, Archie! You know you do!”

“You don’t understand.”

“Then explain it to me, Archie. Please?”

There was a long pause followed by an exasperated sigh before Archie finally spoke again. “If I don’t do what he says, he’ll hurt you.”

David sat there for a moment, dumbfounded by Archie’s reasoning. “Archie, I’m not afraid of him.”

“You should be. You don’t know what he’s capable of.”

“Please listen to me, baby. You have to leave him. Tell the police what’s going on.”

“No,” Archie stated firmly. “I won’t risk it.”

“Archie…”

“No, Cook. I won’t.”

“Christ, Archie why are you being so stubborn about this?” David asked as tears finally began to spill from his own eyes.

“Because I…” Archie sighed, stopping himself before he said something that he knew he would regret. “I just don’t want him to make your life miserable.”

“He’s cheating on you too, you know?”

“What?”

“Yeah. The other night he stopped by the bar with Steven. They’re more than just business partners,” David explained, hoping that might make a difference to Archie.

Archie only looked down, staring at the sheets for a moment before speaking. “I’m not surprised. Besides, what can I say about that? I’m the one who started it.”

“Maybe not.”

“It doesn’t matter anymore.”

“It does.”

“Just stop, David!” Archie’s anger was beginning to flare again. “I’m not changing my mind.”

“Fine.” David sat there for a few moments before moving to sit on the edge of the bed, still never letting go of Archie’s hand. “I’m sorry for upsetting you,” he said while running his other hand through Archie’s dark hair. “But I just want to rescue you from this… this hell and take care of you.”

Archie shook his head while swallowing thickly. “Why?”

David sighed realizing that it was his ‘now or never’ moment. “Because I love you.”

Archie took a deep breath as tears began to fall once more. “No…”

“Yes,” David argued. “I am so in love with you, baby. I think I have been since the beginning.”

“Cook, I… I care about you and I’m grateful to have you in my life because you—despite everything that has happened—you give me a lot of joy. But I’ve already been one person’s charity case; I don’t want to be yours too.”

“Is that what you think this is?”

“Isn’t it?”

“God, no… Archie, I love you. I’m sitting here telling you that I love you. Believe me those are not words I like to throw around.”

With a heavy sigh and more tears, Archie leaned back against his pillows and closed his eyes. “I’m sorry, Cook.”

David stared at him for a moment, feeling as though his heart was shattering from Archie’s rejection. “Ok…” he finally said, crestfallen as he let go of his lover’s hand. “Then I’m ending this right now.” He blinked away more tears as Archie sniffled softly and opened his eyes to look at him. “I know I said I would be here for you no matter what, but I can’t keep seeing you like this.”

Archie nodded as tears continued to stream over his cheeks and his heart thumped rapidly in his chest. “It’s ok,” he said, his voice cracking. He was somewhat relieved that David was the one who made the decision so that he didn’t have to be the one breaking it off. Either way it was going to end that day.

*****

Brooke walked into the dimly lit hospital room moments after speaking to David in the hallway before he left. Archie was still sitting on the bed, his head bowed and his body visibly shaking as he wept helplessly. She frowned, feeling sympathetic for both him and David.

Knowing that he was probably still upset with her, she cautiously approached the bed and sat down on the edge where David had sat barely fifteen minutes earlier. “Archie?”

He looked up at her, gasping unsuccessfully for his breath as tears spilled relentlessly from his eyes. “B-Brooke…”

“Oh, baby…” she whispered before moving to wrap him in her arms. “Shh…” 

“I… I…” he struggled to speak as he buried his face in her thick hair. “It’s over…” he finally managed in a whisper.

“I know, baby. I know.” She closed her eyes, petted the back of his head, and rocked him carefully.

Archie cried on her shoulder for a long time before he finally pulled away. “I’m… I’m sorry,” he said between his hiccups. “F-for being mad at you.”

“Aw,” Brook reached for a tissue on the bedside table to wipe his face with. “It’s ok. I understand.”

“I um…” he looked down feeling his eyes well up with tears again. “David…”

“I know, sweetie.”

He shook his head. “I ended up hurting him.” He sniffed a couple of times before he could look at her. “I didn’t want to, Brooke.”

She nodded understandingly. “I know you didn’t.”

The two of them sat there in silence for a little while until Archie finally slouched back against the pillows, his timed, low dosage of intravenous pain medication finally kicking in along with natural fatigue. He looked up at Brooke as she tucked him in and mumbled, “I do love him, ya know,” right before closing his eyes and succumbing to sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

Several days after Archie was released from the hospital, Brooke decided to put in her resignation. She felt that she just couldn’t stay employed there knowing how Archie was being treated. On the day that she’d planned to give Jackson her letter, she talked to Archie about it first, telling him why she was leaving and that she would visit him. She also told him that she was only a phone call away if he ever needed her. It didn’t go over well with him, but in the end, it wasn’t his choice to make. He felt a little bit betrayed, but then again, what right did he have to expect her to be his friend after everything he had caused?

Also as anticipated, he hadn’t heard from David since that day at the hospital. It was harder on him than he ever expected it to be. He slept most of the time because he was just tired. That probably came from the fact that he wasn’t eating like he should have been and without Brooke there to make sure he was taking care of himself, he went without more often than not.

Thankfully, Jackson left him alone most of the time seeing as how his ribs still hadn’t healed and that he obviously didn’t want another trip to the hospital so soon. In fact, the only time he saw him was at night when he would crawl into bed smelling like liquor and sometimes sex. Archie wondered how he was ever able to function enough to do his job. He never talked to him unless told to. It was like an unspoken rule between them; a rule that Archie happily embraced. He didn’t really have anything to say to him.

After about a week, Jackson wandered into the bedroom one night while Archie was lying on his side of the bed curled into a ball as he stared at the wall. “Archie?”

Archie turned his head just enough to look at his husband. He was surprised to see that he didn’t seem drunk or angry. He was dressed in a nice suit—one that he didn’t usually wear to work—and had on his silver cufflinks. Archie wondered where he was going, but didn’t ask.

“I need you to get up and get dressed.”

“Why?”

“I have a banquet tonight and you need to be with me.”

Archie felt weak. He didn’t want to get up and he certainly didn’t want to go to a stupid banquet with his so-called husband. However, he knew he probably didn’t have a choice. So carefully and with a lot of effort he got up, standing on wobbly legs and gasping as a dull pain radiated through his side.

Jackson sighed. “Deed honest, boy. Look at you.” Archie winced at the disapproving look that Jackson gave him. “When is the last time you had a decent meal. You’re like a toothpick and you’re so weak you can’t even move.”

Hot tears began to spill from Archie’s eyes and he just wanted to go back to sleep. “I… I don’t think…” he sniffled.

“God damn it, Archie! You should be better by now. Who the fuck am I supposed to take to the banquet tonight?”

“Wh-why don’t you take Steven?”

“Because Steven isn’t my husband.”

“No, he’s just your fuck-buddy, right?” Archie asked shocking even himself.

“What did you say?”

“N-nothing,” Archie said remorsefully as he sat back down on the bed too weak to stay standing any longer. .

Much to his surprise, Jackson didn’t seem angry or defensive. He was calm and that alone scared Archie as much as drunk, violent Jackson scared him. “How did you find out?”

Archie looked up, shaking his head in disbelief. “You’re not even going to try to deny it?”

“Why should I? Aren’t I allowed to play around outside of my marriage? I mean you did, so it’s only fair that I have something that I like too.”

“Then why can’t you just let me go, Jackson? If you have someone else, why hang on to me?”

A bitter laugh echoed through the room as Jackson moved closer to the bed where Archie sat. “Because, my dear boy. I’m still teaching you a lesson. You belong to me and only to me. I like being in control. As for Steven,” Jackson paused and his demeanor turned snide. “He’s like my equal. I’d never be able to control him like I can you. Not that I would ever want to. He’s so much better. Nothing like the little piece of trash you are.”

Archie wondered if there would ever be a day when Jackson’s words wouldn’t hurt him. Would he ever be able to deflect the malice and remain unaffected by the things he said to him? “Well, maybe you should have just left me alone to be the trash that I am instead of taking me in as your… what was I? A pet?”

“Pets are more loyal than you,” Jackson spat without missing a beat. And with that said, Jackson turned and left telling Archie not to bother getting ready because he didn’t want “his pathetic ass to go with him.”

That was a relief to Archie, even though Jackson’s words still stung. He didn’t want to get up and go to that banquet. In fact, he didn’t want to go anywhere. All he could manage to do was lie in his bed and think about how much he had screwed up his own life. If only he’d have talked to Jackson instead of going out to find _love,_ he wouldn’t have been in this situation. But of course, if he had done that, he would have never met David. Not that everything about his meeting David was good.

Had he not met him, he wouldn’t have fallen in love with someone that wasn’t his husband and he wouldn’t have had that someone else fall in love back. He wouldn’t have known all of this pain both physical and emotional. Most of all though, he wouldn’t have hurt David.

He sniffled as the image of David came to the forefront of his mind. He looked so sad and rejected. It broke Archie’s heart knowing that he was the one who put that look on David’s face. He knew he would never forget it either. It was, after all, the only one that came to mind when he thought of his valiant lover.

*****

The bar was busy that night, but to David, it came as a welcome breath of fresh air, a distraction from his own mind. He hadn’t been himself since the day he last saw Archie. No matter how hard he tried, he just couldn’t put him out of his mind, and it hurt like hell.

“Dave?”

“Hmm?” David asked, looking up at Neal as he finished mixing a drink for a regular patron.

“Are you going on break?”

“Naw, man. I think I’m going to work through it. We’re pretty busy right now.”

“Nothing I can’t handle,” Neal insisted. “Go…”

“I said I’m fine, Neal.” David glared up at the other man daring him to keep insisting.

With a shrug, Neal turned and walked away to tend his end of the bar. David shook his head and cursed under his breath. He hated it when Neal or anyone else treated him like a child. He also hated himself for crying on Neal’s shoulder (figuratively speaking, of course) the day after he’d broken things off with Archie. The man had watched him like a hawk ever since.

About an hour after that, David’s cell phone began to vibrate in his pocket. He ignored it because he was busy and he was certain that whoever was calling could wait. However, the caller was relentless. His phone kept going off for nearly twenty minutes and it was to the point of annoyance. He was about ready to pull it out of his pocket and chuck it across the room.

Finally, he did have a moment between customers to check it. His eyes grew wide when he saw twenty-three missed calls from Archie. Although he wondered what could he was calling so insistently for, he knew that calling back would be the wrong thing to do. He was just about to turn the phone off when it started vibrating again and Archie’s picture flashed on the screen—that incredible smile breaking down the walls that David had built around his heart in the recent weeks. “Fuck,” he murmured, knowing that his willpower was hanging by a thread.

He called out to Neal who only turned his head to acknowledge that he’d been spoken to. “You know that break you asked me about a little bit ago? I think I’m going to take it now.” And with that, David disappeared into the storage room, putting the phone to his ear and answering with a timid, “hello?”

“C-cook?” Archie’s voice sounded strained and startled as if he’d given up on getting an answer.

“Yeah, Arch. It’s me. What do you need?”

“Um…” Archie hesitated. “I just…”

David sighed, realizing that he was probably the dumbest guy on the planet just for answering his phone. Why couldn’t he just let go? “Look, Arch I’m at work and…”

“I know!” Archie said in a panicked tone. “I’m sorry for calling you now, but uh…” he sniffled. “I just wanted to tell you something.”

“Fine,” David said exasperatedly. “What is it?”

“I-I wanted to tell you that I’m really sorry,” Archie began telling him the words that he’d been rehearsing in his mind since Jackson left earlier. “I know that it probably doesn’t matter now, and I understand that, but I just had to let you know that I never meant to hurt you.”

“Arch…” David sighed. He really wasn’t in the mood to be having that conversation.

“Please just listen to me, Cook. I promise never to bother you again. Just… please?”

After a moment of debating with himself David finally gave in. “Ok. I’m listening.”

“You know that day at the hospital when you told me you loved me?”

“Yeah…”

“Did you mean it?”

“Of course, I meant it, Archie. I wouldn’t have said it if I didn’t.”

“Ok. Just making sure.” Archie was quiet for a moment and then finally he spoke once more. “Thank you, Cook. For everything. I know it probably means nothing to you at this point, but I am truly grateful for all the things that you did to try and help me.”

Groaning inwardly, David leaned up against a nearby wall, wondering why he had to hear all of this again. It was the same spiel as before. Archie was grateful to him, but he was married and they couldn’t be together and yadi-yadi-yadda. But then Archie added a little something else to it and David was sure that he’d misunderstood. “Wait. What?”

“Hmm?” Archie asked, pausing in the middle of his rambling.

“Back up. What did you just say?”

“I um…” Archie swallowed loud enough that David heard him. “I said that I love you too.”

David was rendered speechless. Part of him wanted to leap with joy over that revelation and yet another part of him was angered. How dare Archie tell him that _now_ —and over the fucking telephone?

“Cook?”

“Why are you telling me this now, Archie?”

“Because I wanted to let you know that everything you did wasn’t in vain.”

“Jesus, Archie I am so confused by you. I love you and you’re saying you love me, but somehow it’s just not enough to leave that bastard huh?”

“I’m going to leave him, Cook.”

“What? When?” David asked his heart pounding with anticipation.

“Soon,” Archie replied. “Very soon. That’s why I called you to tell you how I feel about you. I don’t want you living the rest of your life thinking that I didn’t care about you.”

“But Archie, if you’re leaving him then we could…”

“No,” Archie replied in a voice filled with regret. “We still can’t be together.”

“Why not?”

“Because I’m not taking that chance. I’m leaving him tonight, Cook, and he’s never going to see me again. Unfortunately neither will you.”

David had the urge to throw his phone again, but he punched a wall instead. “God damn it, Archie! What the fuck?” He grimaced at the pain shooting through his hand and radiating up his arm, infuriating him even more. “How can you say you love me and then turn around and just leave?”

“Because it’s the only way, Cook.”

“Bull shit!”

“Please don’t be angry with me.”

David was fuming at that point and knew if he didn’t hang up soon, he would end up saying things he’d regret so he did just that, ending the call without another word and leaning back against the wall. “Jesus, why am I so stupid?” he asked in a whisper.

He stayed back there for a while longer, composing himself as much as he could before going back out to the bar. Once he was there, he worked on autopilot, showing no emotion as he replayed his phone conversation with Archie repeatedly in his head.

He was in the middle of taking an order when he felt his phone again. “Damn it!” he hissed, pulling the phone from his pocket determined to trash it or something. However, he saw that it was only a text message. With a heavy sigh, he opened it and read, “I really am sorry and I really do love you. So much. Goodbye.”

Tears filled David’s eyes and he leaned against the bar, hanging his head in defeat and in front of all his customers. It wasn’t until then that he processed everything that Archie had been telling him that night, and that’s when it suddenly made sense. “Oh my God,” he whispered. “Oh… Oh shit! Neal,” he hollered. “I have to go.”

So without another word, David left the bar, running to his apartment and sliding into the driver seat of his car. As he sped down the street, he fumbled with his phone, trying to find Brooke’s number. She’d given it to him that day at the hospital telling him to call her if he ever needed anything. He had yet to do that.

“Hello?” Brooke answered sleepily.

“Brooke, its Dave. Archie called me and I think he’s going to do something stupid.”

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t know. Can you just meet me at the house?”

“Ok, yeah. I’m on my way.”

David tossed his phone to the side and concentrated on driving and praying until he slid into the circular driveway outside Archie and Jackson’s house. Brooke was pulling up at that exact same time but David was up the steps and ringing the doorbell before she could even get out of her car. By the time she made it to the top step, he had already given up on the doorbell and was pounding on the door.

Just as he was about to start screaming, the door flew open and Cade looked at them in alarm. “What on Earth?”

“Where’s Archie?” David asked in a demanding tone.

“Sleeping.”

David didn’t bother with any more conversation, he simply pushed past Cade who protested and started to follow, but Brooke grabbed him and started to explain letting David go on.

When David reached the master bedroom, he opened the door cautiously only to find the room empty. He looked around for a moment and was about to walk out with the notion that he’d been wrong and Archie really did just leave when he noticed the slither of light coming from under the bathroom door.

Quickly he made his way through the bedroom and knocked on the door. “Archie?” He received no answer. In fact, it was deathly quiet. He reached for the doorknob and was surprised to have it turn so easily in his hand. However, as soon as the door was unlatched, David was hit with an undeniable smell. The metallic stench of blood.

The door drifted open to reveal David’s worst fear. “Oh my God! Archie…” he ran to him, falling to his knees in the pool of red that spread over the white tiles. “Brooke!” He screamed while grabbing for every towel he could find. “Brooke! Help!”

Brooke screeched in horror when she and Cade reached the room to find David bent over Archie applying as much pressure to the self-inflicted wounds as he could. She instructed Cade to call an ambulance while she went to assist David who was trembling and staring at Archie’s pale face as tears fell relentlessly over his cheeks.

“Please, baby…” he mumbled. “Open your eyes. I’m so sorry. I love you. I… dear God, help me.”


	5. Chapter 5

David paced back and forth in the ER waiting room where he’d been put when they’d arrived at the hospital. He’d insisted on riding in the ambulance with Archie and the Medics had allowed him to. However, once they’d taken Archie into the trauma room, he was forced to stay behind.

Brooke finally arrived, after she’d been held up by answering questions for the police. “David,” she said his name, causing him to stop pacing long enough to look at her. “How is he?”

“I don’t know,” David replied miserably before he started pacing once again. “They said they would let me know something as soon as they could.”

“The police will be here shortly, David. They’ll want to question you.”

David nodded. He’d figured as much, and was prepared to tell them everything. He didn’t care if Archie wouldn’t want him to. As far as he was concerned, Jackson, that bastard, deserved every bit of what was coming to him. He was about to ask Brooke what she had said to the police when the doors behind him swung open.

It was Archie’s ER doctor, oddly enough; it was the same one that had been on the last time Archie had ended up there. “You were with Mr. Archuleta when he was brought in?”

“That’s right,” David said, walking over to meet the doctor halfway. “Is he going to be ok?”

“He’s lost a lot of blood,” the doctor began. “He was given a transfusion to replace some of the blood he lost and now he’s being monitored, but we won’t know for certain the extent of the damage until he wakes up,” he paused for a moment before continuing with the last thing David or Brooke wanted to here. “If he wakes up.”

David felt sick and barely heard anything else the doctor said while explaining the situation. His head felt cloudy and all he could think about was how much he needed to be with Archie. “Can I see him?” He asked, interrupting the doctor while he was still talking.

“Mr. Archuleta is in ICU and I’m not really authorized to let anyone who isn’t immediate family…” he trailed off for a moment while he studied David’s face, looking into his teary eyes, undoubtedly seeing the love and concern that shined in them. “Ok, but only for a few minutes. Follow me.”

When the room door was opened, David stepped inside and thanked the doctor for letting him back. Then he walked slowly over to the bed where Archie was lying. David was glad to see a little color back in his cheeks, but the doctor’s words were still echoing in his ears.

Sitting down on the chair next to Archie’s bed, he scooted it closer. Carefully, he took a hold Archie’s hand that lay at his side. “Hey,” he whispered, staring at the bandage wrapped securely around his wrist. “What were you thinking, baby?”

The few minutes that he was allowed to be there, David spent talking to Archie and telling him how important he was to him. It seemed like the best thing to do. He’d always heard that talking to someone who was unconscious was a good thing, so he thought he’d give it a shot.

Later when a nurse came in and told him his time was up, he leaned over Archie and pressed a gentle kiss to his cheek and whispered a soft “I love you” in his ear before he got up to leave. The nurse smiled empathetically as he passed her by and he felt his stomach roll with fear. He was still feeling nauseated when he walked back into the waiting room where Brooke was sitting in a row of chairs along the wall.

“You ok?” She asked, concerned as she looked at his pale face and red eyes.

He nodded and dropped into the chair next to her where he sat for the next fifteen minutes without saying a word. It wasn’t until she took his hand in hers and squeezed it gently that he finally spoke. “I’ll never forgive myself if he doesn’t pull through.”

“David,” Brooke said soothingly. “This is not your fault.”

“Actually, yes it is.” A few tears spilled over his cheeks as he stared at the wall across from him. “I knew he was married and yet I still got involved.”

“David, you were Archie’s safe place.”

“He wouldn’t have needed a safe place if it hadn’t been for me. Did you ever know of Jackson hurting him before?”

Brooke shook her head solemnly. “No, not physically, but he was constantly hurting emotionally and that is sometimes just as bad if not worse.”

That was when the doors flew open and Jackson stormed in followed by an entourage of people including Steven. As soon as David seen him, he was off his chair flying towards the other man in a rage; deaf to Brooke’s screaming for him not to. “You son of a bitch!” He roared, taking Jackson by surprise. “You’re the reason this happened!”

Luckily for Jackson, the police officers who had been at the house had arrived right behind him and intervened. They pulled David off of him, but not before the younger man got in a few good punches.

“David!” Brooke scolded when the two officers set him back down in the chair he’d been in before. “Are you trying to get kicked out of here?”

He shrugged off the officer’s hand that was still on his shoulder and focused on the man on the other side of the room who was yelling about pressing charges while letting a nurse look at his busted lip.

“Mr. Cook,” one of the officers said while stepping into his view of Jackson. “We’d like to ask you some questions.”

“Fine. Ask me. I’ll tell you everything I know, just keep him away from Archie.”

*****

After he was done telling the police everything that he knew, he sat in a small lounge just outside ICU. Unfortunately, Jackson was there too, but the uniformed officer standing against the wall between them was doing a fine job at keeping them separated. Archie’s mom had also come to the hospital, but she was in the room with Archie. David had never met her before that night and when he did, it was brief and uncertain. That was the reason he was so surprised when she showed up at the door to the lounge and asked him to step out into the hallway.

He had to admit he was nervous about talking to her and the fact that she’d asked for him alone made it ten times worse. Jackson had probably told her who he was to her son and he was pretty sure she wouldn’t approve. However, he got up and walked out into the hall with her. “Yes?”

“Sorry, I didn’t want to set foot in that waiting room. I can’t even look at that man right now.” She said. “My son is awake, and he just told me everything.”

“Oh thank, God.” David’s heart leapt at the news, but what Lupe had just said kept him from rejoicing too much. “Everything?”

She nodded, obviously unwilling to say more on the subject. “And he’s asking for you.”

That kind of surprised David, but he wasted no time walking down the hallway to Archie’s room. Once he was inside, he stopped at the foot of the bed as Archie looked up at him through half lidded eyes. “Arch?”

“I’m sorry, Cook,” was all Archie said before tear began streaming down his already streaked face.

“Me too, Archie,” David said, going to the side of his bed and carefully sitting down on it. “I was such an ass to you on the phone last night.”

Archie shook his head. “No, you had every right to behave that way. I’ve messed with you so much. I’m a terrible person.”

“No, baby… You’re not.” David carefully took his hand in his own. “You’re amazing, Archie.”

Their eyes met and Archie’s breath hitched. “Thank you for saving me,” he whispered, his voice cracking with raw emotion. “If you hadn’t come…”

“I was so scared, Archie,” David told him with fresh tears falling from his eyes. “I was afraid we were too late and that I’d lost you for good.” He sniffled, reaching out to stroke Archie’s cheek with his hand. “God, Archie, why did you do this?”

“I just wanted to get away from Jackson and stop hurting everyone that I love.” His eyes shifted to the light blue hospital blanket that was draped over his lower body. “I know it was stupid. They want me to see a therapist.”

“I think that’s a good idea. You’ve got a lot of stuff to sort out.”

“I know. I’m just scared.”

“Archie,” David began. “The police questioned us; me and Brooke. We told them the truth.” He sighed when Archie looked away. “It’s up to you now Archie. They can’t do anything until you talk.”

After a few moments, Archie finally looked at him again with wide, scared eye. “Will you… Will you stay with me when I talk to them?”

A feeling of relief washed over him when Archie asked him that. “Of course, baby. I’ll be right by your side. I’m not leaving.”

“David?”

“Hmm?”

“Um has your uh… do you still… Since I was so mean to you and…?”

David smiled, knowing what Archie was trying to ask him. “I still love you, Archie.”

“Good,” he said, feeling somewhat empowered by that. “I love you, too.”

David didn’t say anything after that. He simply leaned forward; pressing h is forehead against Archie’s for a moment, staring into his eyes before finally kissing him. The kiss was slow and gentle and just before it had a chance to deepen, David ended it. “We can do this, baby,” he whispered. “Together.”

“I know,” Archie replied, his breathing a bit ragged. “And Jackson can’t stop us.”

David shook his head that was still against Archie’s. “No. He can’t. You’ll be free.”

“And then what?” He asked breathily.

“And then…” David whispered, smiling at his young lover. “Then you and I can be together. Completely. We can run away.”

Just then, there was a solid, but quiet knock on the door and they both looked around to see the office from the waiting room stepping into the room. David eventually turned back to Archie. “You ready for this?”

Even though his heart was beating faster than it ever had before and he was scared out of his mind he nodded his head and whispered, “I’m ready.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading... Comments are appreciated.


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